Under P
ressure
Graphic: A. McGraw
by Jesse Rizzo staff writer
A
few years back my friend flew in from Maryland and a group of our friends got together when a few of the guys started using marijuana; they asked me if I wanted to try it, but the thought hadn’t crossed my mind before. I didn’t really have any interest in it, and luckily they assured me that I didn’t have to. Despite my luck in these circumstances, many people aren’t as lucky and end up getting pressured into things. Michelle Morrison, a school counselor at Central reasons “that peer pressure on both sides is about feeling 22 // BGQ // October 2021
Peer pressure can be a major contributor to addiction, especially for teenagers the need to belong.” It’s that feeling of wanting to fit in or not wanting to be left out that forces teens to make risky decisions. Peer pressure is defined by Oxford Languages as “the influence from members of one’s peer group.” This may not always involve drugs or alcohol, but it is common for peer pressure. We are taught in school that drugs are dangerous, even fatal, so it’s best to avoid them at all costs. This causes an issue though. When you tell someone, especially high schoolers, not to do
